Applications within persistent hybrid collaborative workspaces

Abstract

Techniques for providing using software applications within persistent hybrid virtual collaborative workspaces are provided. In an example, a method establishes a virtual collaborative workspace characterized by or more virtual collaborative workspace resources and associated with one or more users to interact with other users or collaborative workspace resources within the virtual collaborative workspace. The method further receives, from a client device associated with a first user associated with the virtual space, an identification of an application to use in the virtual collaborative workspace. The method, based on the receiving, adds the application to the virtual collaborative workspace and configures the application to access one or more resources associated with the virtual collaborative workspace. The method further provides access to the application within the virtual collaborative workspace to at least a subset of the users associated with the virtual collaborative workspace.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 accessing a virtual collaborative workspace that is configured to maintain one or more virtual collaborative workspace resources and enable one or more users to interact with other users or virtual collaborative workspace resources within the virtual collaborative workspace; 
 accessing, from within the virtual collaborative workspace, an application that is configured to access one or more of the virtual collaborative workspace resources; 
 receiving, via a communications interface and from a first client device associated with a first user associated with the virtual collaborative workspace, a request to access the application; 
 providing, to the first client device, a state of the application within the virtual collaborative workspace; 
 receiving, via the communications interface and from the first client device, an updated state of the application; and 
 propagating, via the communications interface and to a second client device associated with a second user, the updated state of the application. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , the updated state indicates one or more of (i) a first document in use by an instance of the application executing on the first client device or (ii) a second document edited by the instance of the application executing on the first client device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via the communications interface and to one or more of the first client device and the second client device, a signal to cause the application to be installed automatically. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual collaborative workspace resources include one or more of:
 a list of a plurality of users associated with the virtual collaborative workspace, wherein each user has an associated user state; 
 a shared document and a corresponding shared document state; 
 at least part of a video stream transmitted by a client device; or 
 one or more textual messages transmitted by the client device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the communications interface, a request from a third user associated with the virtual collaborative workspace to access the application; 
 determining, based on a set of permissions, that the third user is not permitted to access the application; and 
 in response to the determination, transmitting, via the communications interface and to a third client device associated with the third user, a restriction that disables use of the application by the third client device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the application from a list of available applications; 
 based on the selection, providing, via the communications interface and to the first client device, a suggestion of the application; and 
 receiving, from the communications interface and the first client device, an acceptance of the suggestion. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the communications interface and from the second client device, an additional state of the application; 
 propagating, via the communications interface and to the first client device, the additional state of the application. 
 
     
     
       8. A system comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium; 
 a communications interface; and 
 a processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer-readable medium and the communications interface, the processor configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:
 access a virtual collaborative workspace that is configured to maintain one or more virtual collaborative workspace resources and enable one or more users to interact with other users or virtual collaborative workspace resources within the virtual collaborative workspace; 
 access, from within the virtual collaborative workspace, an application that is configured to access one or more of the virtual collaborative workspace resources; 
 receive, via a communications interface and from a first client device associated with a first user associated with the virtual collaborative workspace, a request to access the application; 
 provide, to the first client device, a state of the application within the virtual collaborative workspace; 
 receive, via the communications interface and from the first client device, an updated state of the application; and 
 propagate, via the communications interface and to a second client device associated with a second user, the updated state of the application. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the updated state indicates one or more of (i) a first document in use by an instance of the application executing on the first client device or (ii) a second document edited by the instance of the application executing on the first client device. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to transmit, via the communications interface and to one or more of the first client device and the second client device, a signal to cause the application to be installed automatically. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the virtual collaborative workspace resources include one or more of:
 a list of a plurality of users associated with the virtual collaborative workspace, wherein each user has an associated user state; 
 a shared document and a corresponding shared document state; 
 at least part of a video stream transmitted by a client device; or 
 one or more textual messages transmitted by the client device. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:
 receive, via the communications interface, a request from a third user associated with the virtual collaborative workspace to access the application; 
 determine, based on a set of permissions, that the third user is not permitted to access the application; and 
 in response to the determination, transmit, via the communications interface and to a third client device associated with the third user, a restriction that disables use of the application by the third client device. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:
 select the application from a list of available applications; 
 based on the selection, provide, via the communications interface and to the first client device, a suggestion of the application; and 
 receive, from the communications interface and the first client device, an acceptance of the suggestion. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
 access a virtual collaborative workspace that is configured to maintain one or more virtual collaborative workspace resources and enable one or more users to interact with other users or virtual collaborative workspace resources within the virtual collaborative workspace; 
 access, from within the virtual collaborative workspace, an application that is configured to access one or more of the virtual collaborative workspace resources; 
 receive, via a communications interface and from a first client device associated with a first user associated with the virtual collaborative workspace, a request to access the application; 
 provide, to the first client device, a state of the application within the virtual collaborative workspace; 
 receive, via the communications interface and from the first client device, an updated state of the application; and 
 propagate, via the communications interface and to a second client device associated with a second user, the updated state of the application. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the updated state indicates one or more of (i) a first document in use by an instance of the application executing on the first client device or (ii) a second document edited by the instance of the application executing on the first client device. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to transmit, via the communications interface and to one or more of the first client device and the second client device, a signal to cause the application to be installed automatically. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the virtual collaborative workspace resources include one or more of:
 a list of a plurality of users associated with the virtual collaborative workspace, wherein each user has an associated user state; 
 a shared document and a corresponding shared document state; 
 at least part of a video stream transmitted by a client device; or 
 one or more textual messages transmitted by the client device. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, via the communications interface, a request from a third user associated with the virtual collaborative workspace to access the application; 
 determine, based on a set of permissions, that the third user is not permitted to access the application; and 
 in response to the determination, transmit, via the communications interface and to a third client device associated with the third user, a restriction that disables use of the application by the third client device. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 select the application from a list of available applications; 
 based on the selection, provide, via the communications interface and to the first client device, a suggestion of the application; and 
 receive, from the communications interface and the first client device, an acceptance of the suggestion. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, via the communications interface and from the second client device, an additional state of the application; 
 propagate, via the communications interface and to the first client device, the additional state of the application.